meacham



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEO. A. MEAOHAM, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

BUTTON.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 82,703, dated July 2, 1861.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. MEACHAM, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented an Improved Button; and I do hereby declare. that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a section on the line S, S, in Fig. 2, and Fig. 2 is a plan of the back. Both figures are on a greatly enlarged scale.

My present invention is an improvement on the button patented to me J an. 10th, 1860, and consists in a mode of constructing covered or coat buttons with a rotating flexible eye by means of which the strain upon the fastening caused by the'twisting of the button in buttoning the garment is avoided, and the button thereby rendered more durable and convenient. Such buttons as previously constructed were frequently liable to become loose, either by the breaking away of the substance of the flexible eye, or by the latter becoming entirely disengaged from the button by the severe twisting strains to which it was subjected.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe the construction and operation of the same by means of the drawings.

A is the face plate, B the back, O the cloth covering, and D the packing of my button, all these parts being constructed in the usual manner except that D is hollowed at the back as represented. The back B has a hole in the center for the eye, and I prepare a hollow ring of metal E, with a flange c tted to project through the hole in B as represented. The flexible eye M is laid within this ring E and the edges of the same folded over so as to Confine it rmly therein. This ring E with its eye is placed within the back plate B before the button is closed up, and the packing` D recessed so as to give it room to turn easily after the button is finished. Now when M is sewed to the garment, any tendency to turn the button causes the main body to slip around on the ring E and all twisting strain upon M and its fastening is prevented.

The flange c protects M from abrasion against the edge of B, and holds E in position. Several other forms might be given to the part E, instead of the annular as represented, without impairing the action of the button, and in certain styles M might be placed upon a globe or oblate spheroid larger than the hole in B, with nearly the same effect.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A button composed of the falce plate A, partially open back I3, revolving flexible eye M, and the part E or its equivalent, for supporting and retaining M, constructed and operating together substantially as, and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. In buttons substantially of the character above described, the use of the guard e upon the ring E, for the purpose of preventing the abrasive action of B upon M, as above specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEO. A. MEAOI-IAM. lllitnesses G. H. BABoooK, OHAS W. SMITH. 

